


Ignore me. I didn't see anything.

by SharkGirl



Series: Tumblr Prompts 2021 [16]
Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Cats, Childhood Friends, Drabble, Food, M/M, Quote drabble, Short, Short & Sweet, Stray Cat, Teasing, Tsunderes, food (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29821914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkGirl/pseuds/SharkGirl
Summary: “I still don’t see how that cat resembles me,” Cherry complained between bites as he eagerly scarfed down the meal Joe had set before him. Ooh, if only his fancy pants clients could see him now.“No?” Joe questioned, enjoying the way Cherry practically licked his plate clean. “You don’t see it?”A Matcha Blossom quote drabble request from tumblr.
Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom
Series: Tumblr Prompts 2021 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2166144
Comments: 10
Kudos: 197





	Ignore me. I didn't see anything.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure if the anon who requested this quote thought it would go in this direction, but I hope everyone likes it!  
> Matcha Blossom #17 "Ignore me. I didn't see anything."
> 
> Beta'd by the lovely elsi! Thank you!!  
> Please enjoy~

“There’s a good boy,” Joe cooed as he watched his guest devour the food on his plate, licking it clean. “It’s tasty, right?” he asked, reaching out and scratching the top of his head. He leaned into Joe’s touch before nuzzling his palm. “You’re such a sweetheart, Kaoru.” 

“What--” a familiar voice pulled Joe from his moment. “Did you just call that cat by my name?” 

Joe turned to face his childhood friend, flashing a smile. “Yup.” 

Cherry narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting toward the stray cat Joe was petting and then back to Joe. “Why?” 

Joe gave little Kaoru one last scratch behind the ears before he stood up. “Because he looks like you.” 

Pink tinted Cherry’s cheeks as his mouth fell open in indignant shock. “Wha--he certainly does not!” he snapped, furrowing his brow.

“Sure, he does,” Joe offered before picking up the cat’s plate and walking toward the backdoor to the kitchen. “You coming in?”

Cherry hesitated for a moment, his eyes still on the cat, before he followed Joe inside.

“I still don’t see how that cat resembles me,” Cherry complained between bites as he eagerly scarfed down the meal Joe had set before him. Ooh, if only his fancy pants clients could see him now.

“No?” Joe questioned, enjoying the way Cherry practically licked his plate clean. “You don’t see it?”

Cherry dabbed his lips with a napkin. “Not at all.” 

Joe snickered. He could easily point out their similarities. Initially skittish, big fans of Joe’s cooking, fierce but secretly soft and cuddly, graceful and elegant but ready to claw your hand if you got too close too soon. But instead, he opted for the physical. “It’s the eyes,” he said.

“The eyes?” Cherry looked up at him. 

“Yeah,” Joe replied with a grin, removing the now empty plate from in front of him. “Little Kaoru has your eyes.”

There it was. That cute flustered blush Cherry got whenever Joe pushed the wrong button. Or the right one, depending. “Stop calling him that,” Cherry hissed. “And you shouldn’t feed a stray,” he went on. “You’ll never be rid of him if you do.” 

Joe hummed, leaning against the counter and giving Cherry a once over. “Wouldn’t want that.” 

“I should think not,” Cherry replied. “How long have you been doing that?” 

“Years.” 

“What?” Cherry asked, blinking up at him. 

“A couple days,” Joe corrected. “I found him the other night when one of the servers forgot to take out a trash bag.” He smiled. “He was such a scrawny little thing.” 

Cherry harrumphed and crossed his arms over his chest. “He looked plenty plump to me.” 

Joe flashed another cheeky grin. “That’s the magic of food made with love.” 

Cherry scoffed and rolled his eyes.

It was a few evenings later when Cherry swung by Sia la luce again. But he didn’t arrive before closing or message that he was just outside the doors. Joe was alerted to his presence when he went to feed little Kaoru.

Because there, kneeling beside him and scratching his little furry head while the cat happily gobbled up the contents of a can of cat food, was Cherry. “See, this is better for you than that greasy Italian food.”

Joe bit his lip to keep from making any noise. Little Kaoru finished his food and licked his chops before hopping into Cherry’s lap, purring so loud that Joe could hear him from the door.

“You liked it, huh?” Cherry murmured softly, stroking under the cat’s chin.

Not wanting to ruin their moment, Joe turned to dump the leftovers he’d saved into the trash, but the lid of the can closed just a bit too loudly, and when he turned back to face them, there were two pairs of startled golden eyes looking his way.

“Koijiro--” 

“Ignore me,” Joe said, holding his hands up. “I didn’t see anything.” His smile grew as Cherry’s flush spread to his ears.

“I wasn’t--” Cherry stood up, little Kaoru jumping from his lap onto the ground. “I just thought--” 

Joe crouched down to pet the cat when he padded over, rubbing against his legs and begging for attention.

“Shut up,” Cherry finally managed, face bright red.

“I haven’t said anything,” Joe replied, his attention still on the cat.

“You were thinking it,” Cherry argued.

“Was I?” He scooped little Kaoru into his arms, chuckling as the cat nuzzled under his chin. 

“I wasn’t encouraging him to return here,” Cherry explained. “He just can’t survive on--”

“Greasy Italian food?” Joe quoted. “Aww, Kaoru. I didn’t know you cared.”

Cherry glared at him. “Shut up, you oaf.” Ah, a classic. “It’s not about caring. It’s science. A cat can’t--” 

“Yeah, yeah. I hear you,” Joe interrupted, gently setting the cat back onto the ground. “You ate well tonight, hmm, Kaoru?” he purred before booping his nose. “Now, you go and play while I feed my other cat.”

“What are you whispering about over there?” Cherry asked with a frown on his lips.

“Nothing, nothing.” Joe stood back up. “You coming inside tonight? Or would you prefer to dine al fresco?”

Cherry’s frown deepened. “Amongst the trash?” he bit and then breezed past him, waiting beside the kitchen door. “I’ll take my usual seat, if you don’t mind.”

Joe smiled and opened the door, allowing Cherry entry. “Of course, kitten.” 

The slap had been worth it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Joe is always pushing his luck, isn't he? Hehe.
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think with a comment and kudos and feel free to hmu on tumblr [@jubesy](https://jubesy.tumblr.com) or on Twitter @bySharkGirl~


End file.
